Crafty idea on TRAC for invasive alien trees

All images by Laurette van Zyl, Bonita Aita - courtesy of the Khumbulani Craft website (annual report) - www.khumbulani.org.za.

The items are unique and individually handmade by local crafters from deep rural KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga.

This range of hand-made decor accessories includes white hand-made clay pots, intricately beaded traditional Izicholo hats, carved jacaranda wood stools, totem poles, ornamental wooden busts and "apple shaped" woven laundry baskets made from the alien jacaranda trees and invasive poplar vines.

Access to environmentally friendly wood has always been a challenge for the rural crafters so when Khumbulani Craft, approached the N4 toll route concessionaire, Trans African Concessions (TRAC) about wood for the crafters the company kindly donated the invasive jacaranda trees thus giving the alien and exotic jacaranda trees a second "creative life". "There is always a tinge of sadness when one sees an old tree felled," said Anitha Heyl, corporate affairs consultant of TRAC.

Khumbulani Craft is a Section 21 not-for-gain company which contributes to poverty alleviation through the design, production, marketing and sale of traditional and contemporary craft approached TRAC about wood for their crafters, TRAC was extremely happy to donate these invasive trees to an initiative which could give them a second "creative life" as there is always a tinge of sadness when one sees an old tree felled said Anita Heyl, communications manager, TRAC.

Large orders

The jacaranda trees are being harvested under a TRAC control environmental management plan along the N4 toll route between Pretoria and Maputo in Mozambique. The harvested jacaranda trees were donated to the local crafters to create décor products for the Wetherlys order which is one of the largest retail orders procured by Khumbulani Craft for the many rural crafters they assist.

The Khumbulani Craft Mpumalanga field manager, Mandla Nkoane said that jacaranda wood is currently popular in the décor industry not only because of it being an exotic species but also because of its light colour. The crafters also prefer using the jacaranda wood because it is easy to work with, has a fine grain with no knots in the wood and dries out relatively fast. "We are grateful to TRAC for donating the wood because it fits in well with our vision of producing environmentally sound craft and to Wetherlys for one of the largest retail orders that Khumbulani acquired for their crafters.

Andreas Avrabos, Wetherlys managing executive said Wetherlys is committed to improving the lives of disadvantaged communities through the procurement and sale of such superbly crafted products in our stores across the country.